Aesculapian snake: illustrated description
Diet
It feeds on :
- small birds
- small mammals (field mice, voles, bats, etc.)
- lizards
The Aesculapian snake catches its prey with its hooks, wraps itself around it, and suffocates it: it is a constrictor snake.
It swallows its prey, starting with the head.
Breeding
- The Aesculapian snake is oviparous.
- It lays its eggs between June and August.
- Egg incubation takes 2 months.
- Young snakes measure around 25 cm at birth.
Physical features
- Length: 110 to 150 cm (43 to 59 in)
- It’s part of the large snakes.
- Round pupils (like all garter snakes)
- Long, fine and shiny body
- Very elongated head
- Broad, rounded snout (large rostral scale)
- Small white spots on body
- Smooth scales
Habitat
- The Aesculapian snake is a ground snake.
- It’s an arboreal snake: it likes to climb trees.
- It can be found in forests at medium altitudes (around 1,400 m).
- It can also live under the roofs of houses.
- In Provence, it can be seen in the Camargue area.
Origin of the name
Aesculapius was the Roman god of medicine. He appears in the form of a snake. He is the symbol of renewal and, like the snake that sheds its skin, of the sick who recover their health.
The Rod of Asclepius refers to the staff of Aesculapius: the symbol of physicians. It represents a staff around which a garter snake is wrapped.
Aesculapian snake: scientific classification
- Domain: biota
- Kingdom: animalia
- Phylum: chordata
- Class: reptilia
- Order: squamata
- Family: colubridae
- Genus: zamenis
- Species: Zamenis longissimus
Sources:
- Webinar hosted by Nicolas FUENTO, who is an LPO wildlife officer & herpetologist (Western Provence) on October 1st 2024.
- Illustration inspired from a picture taken by Jordan CADIOT, wildlife photographer
- Serpentsdefrance.fr where this list of the 10 Provence snakes comes from.
- "Serpents & autres reptiles" published by Komet (book in French)
- "Sur la piste des reptiles & des amphibiens" published by Dunod (book in French)
- "Mes Guides Nature : Reptiles & amphibiens" published by Milan Jeunesse (book in French)
- "Mon amie, la couleuvre", DVD published by Salamandre